Rip Me To Pieces
by VINAI
Summary: Mac closed his eyes. Hoping that he would be spared the brutally painful death that he knew was coming. *Set in 2k16 reboot AU!* Plz R&R! (I DONT OWN THEM!) {Part Two of the "Cry Wolf" series!} Enjoy!


**A/N: Hey y'all! Here's Part Two of my new MacGyver series! (If you haven't read Part One, I would recommend you do.) Ok, before we begin, I just want to thank those of you who took the time to review and alert Part One! You guys are awesome and I love to read your comments on what you think. They're a very big piece of motivation for me so keep it up guys! Now without further adieu, I present to you Part Two. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Rip Me To Pieces**

 **~ NOW ~**

"It's so sad. Your partner must be worried sick about you right now. Though I wouldn't expect much, seeing as though you left him without a trace. The poor boy probably thinks you abandoned him. Once again."

Jack growled. Shooting the man a deadly glare, watching out of the corner of his eye how the IV taped to his arm became filled with a mysterious clear liquid. Jack silently promised his captor a long and painful death once he got out of this. A nasty cut above his right brow had dribbled blood down into his eye. It was now dry, but any bit of movement sent a stinging pain to his forehead. A busted lip only added to the painful equation. His brown eyes burned with unbridled fury. His bound hands trembling with the urge to punch the man into next year. He winced. The rope had grown tighter and tighter around his wrists with every bit of struggle and weren't giving in the slightest. Oh god, the things he wouldn't do to have Mac here right now. The blonde genius would get them out of this mess in a matter of minutes.

God he missed that kid so damn much.

"How close are you to the boy, Agent Dalton? Does he mean the world to you? Would you die for him in a heartbeat? What if I were to do a trade, Dalton? Your partner's life for the rest of your team? I give you my word that I will never harm any of you again. It's the least I can do after what you did to my brother all those years ago."

"You're a sick bastard, Mendez." Jack spat at him. The man, Mendez, only chuckled. He pulled something out of his pocket, holding it out for the bound agent to see a moment later. It was a picture of him and Mac walking together. Both looking as happy and content as could be in each other's presence.

"You hurt _me_ , Jack. So I'm going to hurt _you_." Mendez said darkly, waving the small photo in Jack's face intimidatingly.

Jack felt something snap inside. The agent threw himself at the man. A howl of pure rage ripping from his throat. His captor widened his eyes, taking several steps back towards the door. Jack felt his wolf grow. Not knowing if it was from the strange drug currently being pumped through his system, or if it was natural. The urge to change turned into a dire situation in a matter of seconds. The agent struggled to gain some sort of mental traction. His breathing was nothing more than short, desperate gasps. Sweat beaded his forehead. It steadily began to drip down his neck, soaking through his shirt in minutes. He screamed again. Fighting against the restraints blindly in an attempt to escape the terror and confusion. The rope cutting into the first layers of skin, leaving it raw and bloody.

Jack felt tears brim his eyes. The intensity within him had the agent wishing he would just lose consciousness. Anything to get away from the dreaded outcome. It didn't matter what his captor wanted from him. As long as Mac and the other's were safe, Jack could give a shit if he came out of this alive. A warm tear slipped down his cheek. Glistening as it caught the dim light of the room he was in. He prayed Mac would somehow hear his mental mantra. Understand just how much the kid truly meant to him...

* * *

 **~ Flashback: 72 Hours Ago ~**

"Ooh! _Check-Mate_ , brother! Yow!" Jack cheered, pumping his fists in the air in victory. Mac rolled his eyes, reluctantly doing the desired action across the board.

"You do realize I'm only _allowing_ you to win, right?" He said with a pointed look and cocked brow. Jack scoffed, waving off the question.

"Oh, please, brother. You and I both know very well I can take a hit. I ain't a girl."

"Hey!" Riley chimed in from the couch, remote in hand. Bozer started chuckling from in the kitchen. Jack smiled sheepishly at her. Giving a little wave.

"Ah, no offense, darlin'. You're one of the few girls' that I wouldn't _dare_ to go up against."

Riley rolled her eyes. Resuming her scrolling through Netflix. "Whatever, Wolf Boy."

Jack scowled at her, but left it at that. After taking care of a terrorist group in Colombia, the team felt like they needed to have a little get together. Matty had declined, saying she had some things to take care of at the Foundation. Jack shrugged and herded the rest of them into his car. Once they arrived, Bozer had offered to make them lasagna. Of course, Jack had happily agreed. Making the other two share a fond smile at their teammate's antics.

"Dinner's almost ready, folks!" Bozer called from the kitchen, coming out a moment later wiping his hands on a dish towel. He shook his head when he saw how many king's Jack had and how few Mac obtained. But the young man knew his roomie was right. He was only letting Jack win. Anyone who's ever gotten the rare chance to see Mac in action know he doesn't play nicely. Especially when it's a simple game of Checkers...and the opponent's Jack Dalton.

" _Aw, Boze,_ " Jack whined. "Isn't there a way to make it ready _now_? I'm _starving_."

"Unless you feel like getting salmonella, then I suggest we wait." Bozer stated matter of factly, crossing his arms over his chest like a patient yet stern parent. Jack remained quiet and went back to his game with Mac. Bozer just shook his head smiling. Going back to making preparations for dinner.

 _ **(~_~)**_

"Damn, Bozer! This is great, man!" Jack praised. The other two hummed in agreement. Mouth's too full to voice their consent. Even though they were still on their first round and Jack had already eaten about half the dish all by himself, they weren't about to make Bozer feel any less of his wonderful food creation. Though they doubted Bozer would anyway.

Bozer gave him a bashful look. "Well, thank you, Jack. But you do realize you've already told me when you went up for seconds and thirds, right?"

Jack shrugged. "I gotta give credit where credit is due, my friend."

Bozer gave a small shrug before walking away. The rest of the night was festive with the team hanging outside under the full moon. Watching the sparkling lights of LA off the deck together and pointing out random shapes they made out in the sky. The glowing fire's warmth surrounded the family like a blanket as they watched the flickering flames. Eventually, Riley stated she was turning in for the night and Bozer tagged along with her. Being the gentlemen he was, Boze offered the techie a ride home. Riley, due to her independence, declined at first. But when the other two got involved, guilt tripping and all, she accepted with a drawn out sigh.

A half hour later after Bozer and Riley left still had the two partner's sitting side by side together. Half empty beers in hand as they absently watched the fire slowly simmer down. Mac's gaze flicked from his partner, to the blue navy sky and back again. It's only been a little over a month since the big reveal of Jack's true person. And, even though everyone was worried about it, the blonde felt like they still remained on good terms with each other. Sure, at first there was the mild hesitation when Jack asked him to do something, and that, Mac felt, probably hit Jack the most. Rain or shine, they never hesitated when executing a plan between each other.

"You trust me, right?" Jack asked, looking nonchalant. But his eyes depicted full seriousness. Mac frowned. Did Jack somehow know what he was thinking?

"Of course I do. You know that." He answered without hesitation. Jack rubbed at the short stubble on his face, averting his gaze to the deck railing. "Jack, what's this about?" Mac asked when the silence stretched out longer than what he would've liked.

"Look, kiddo, I..." he met Mac's gaze again. "I care about you, ok? And I can't do my job if there's something I do that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe." Jack raised a hand when Mac tried to protest. "I know, bud. But for the sake of your life here, you gotta tell me what the hell is going on. It's not gonna bother me either way."

"There's nothing going on, Jack. I was just...off today. I don't know why. But it wasn't because of you."

"Bullshit, Mac!" The older agent stood up and started pacing in front of the fire. "You were totally fine when we were on the plane. You only started acting weird when I told you to stay behind me as we went through the guy's house. I mean, what is it? You scared of me or something? You afraid of me now that you know what the fuck I really am?"

Mac stuttered, his mouth opening and closing. But no words ever left. He would never admit it to anyone, but he was a little intimidated of Jack. And that's beside the fact the man is a legend with a gun and combat skills that would put Karate Kid to shame. Mac never meant for the feelings to grow. He always locked them away or thought of the good times he had with Jack. But they steadily began to burrow deeper and deeper into his very soul. Their cold finger's trailing an icy line down his spine. He shivered at the thought. And then came all the terrible what if's and horrifying images of what a man like Jack could do with his ability. Mac doubted anything would ever actually happen. At least, he _tried_ , desperately to think that. To hard wire his brain into believing that. He could feel his heart beat faster as he met Jack's gaze. Jack couldn't honestly hurt him, could he?

"Mac? Hey, you with me?" Jack went to lay a hand on his shoulder, but Mac flinched away. The older agent looked hurt for a moment before realization took over. He shook his head knowingly. Jack stood up a moment later, walking to the far side of the deck opposite of Mac. The blonde watched as Jack brought a hand up to his face, the other resting on his hip. Mindlessly scuffing his boot on the wooden deck. Gaze remaining at his feet.

"You really are afraid of me, aren't you?" The question held zero malice. No hate. No accusation. Just plain old understanding in his gentle voice. His eyes holding a mix of emotions too tight to decipher. Mac swallowed thickly. The younger agent didn't know how to respond to that. What was he even supposed to say? _No, no. You're wrong, Jack. I could never be afraid of you._ Well, that wouldn't get him anywhere. Jack already knew he lied once. He already had a pretty good idea of the truth. What good is trying to out trick the fox a second time?

He heard his partner scoff softly. Making his way over to the slider door. Jack pulled it open, pausing a long minute before meeting Mac's nervous gaze. Mac wasn't entirely sure, but he swore the man's eyes were glistening.

"See, _this_ ," he gestured vaguely between them. "Is what I was afraid of happening. This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you about what I am, Mac. Because I knew that ginormous brain of yours would start going wild with all the crazy ass possibilities of what could go down."

Mac found his voice then. Albeit a little broken. "Jack, I-"

"I don't care about what you have to say, Mac. If you don't trust me, that's fine. I'll get outta your hair. But I want you to know something." His partner turned completely serious as he faced him. "I could never," Jack swallowed, his voice tight. "Ever hurt you, brother. I can promise you that."

Jack waited a beat before going inside, closing the door behind him. Mac watched through blurry eyes as his partner took his leave. Even from his spot on the deck, he could feel Jack's despair. It seemed to hang heavily in the air. Almost making it hard for Mac to breathe. He was surprised to feel his cheeks wet. Mac hadn't even known he was crying. The blonde wiped his eyes, sniffling as he tried to rein in his emotions. What just happened?

With a sigh, Mac got up and stoked the fire to coals. He didn't care enough to put it out all the way. It's not like it would be able to burn very much anyway if it did go south. After grabbing the empty beer bottles and cleaning up as much as he cared, he went inside. He locked up the house and got ready for bed a few minutes later. Falling into a restless sleep with thoughts of Jack and the constant replay of their conversation out on the deck.

 _ **(~_~)**_

Jack changed the station for what seemed like the millionth time in the past ten minutes. He couldn't get his mind off Mac. More importantly, the look on his face. Never in a million years would Jack even _think_ of Mac possibly being afraid of him. But, as luck would have it, Jack very well could have just ended one of the best friendships he's ever had.

All because of his fucking wolf.

"Son of a bitch!" He yelled loudly to no one in particular, smacking his hand on the steering wheel.

Why did it have to be this way? He gasped sharply at the sudden flare of pain in his head. Shit. Now his wolf wanted some action. Jack glanced ahead. Traffic was a bitch. As usual when in dire need of something. Even if that dire need was to let yourself 'wolf out'. Son of a bitch. Why did his dad, of all people have to be the one to marry his mom and therefore, transfer the gene unto him? He loved his old man, yes. Went to his grave as often as he could. Hell, sometimes he'd cry himself to sleep over it. No, his father wasn't too blame for this mess. Jack did this all on his own. It's his own fault he didn't man up enough to tell Mac what he was. If he had, they probably wouldn't be like this right now. Mac would've been used to him by now. Everything would've been alright.

He growled at the bright red flare in front of him. Had Mac been here, he would've started babbling about science-y geek stuff he would never understand just to distract Jack. He started to laugh manically. Barely aware of the wetness traveling down his cheeks. His eyes flashed gold before going back to their normal brown as he took a sharp right turn on to the shoulder. Ignoring the pissed off honking of people he cut off during the maneuver. Jack drove straight ahead, his wolf seeming to take control of his body. Demanding he listen or else. Huh. Jack frowned thoughtfully. The agent was starting to understand his younger friend's fears as he submitted to his wolf's control. Maybe Mac had a point about fearing he would go insane one day. Because he sure as hell wasn't feeling like himself right now.

Suddenly the car stopped in a deserted parking lot. Jerking the agent back to the present. He gave a quick glance around. Just beyond the parking lot was a thick patch of trees blanketed in darkness. He stole another glance around, hands shaking. Jack doubted there would be anybody here to begin with at this time of night, but it was a necessary precaution to take. Seeing as how wild his eyes were at the moment. He barely had the door open before he fully submitted to his primal urge and a tall blue roan wolf jumped out of the car. His white toes and paw seemed to glow in the dark, turning a golden yellow under the streetlights as he padded by. The wolf shook his fur, licking his chops. He smelled the air around him intently.

Jack began to walk towards the patch of forest only yards away. Something made him stop though. The wolf's black ears went back, a low snarl starting to form. His long, white fangs glistening pearly white in the light of the parking lot. A growl ripped from his throat when he slowly turned around. To anyone else, it would've been a simple shadow clothed in darkness. To Jack, the human was sticking out like a sore thumb. His golden brown eyes narrowed, taking on a fighting position. The man across from him only smiled something wicked at him.

"Having a nice night, Agent Dalton?" The man hiding in the shadows asked pleasantly. Jack growled. The man laughed. "Oh, that's right. You can't speak in that form. How silly of me to forget!"

Jack fought the urge to attack the man. It would be so easy to rip his throat out and leave his body for Phoenix to worry about. This man obviously knew too much about him and possibly the rest of the team. A sudden thought of Mac had the wolf halting everything. Mac already feared him. Did he seriously want to make it worse by killing a man in cold blood? The blonde would never be able to face him again. Jack would be fired. They'd separate him and Mac so they would never be able to see each other again...

"Why don't you change back so we can have a proper conversation, yes?" The man in the shadows asked with a crooked grin as he straightened. His arms were crossed over his chest, challenging. The wolf snarled something feral, but did as he was asked. Jack smirked when he saw the man slowly reach for something under his coat. If this ass wipe thought he held the advantage by having Jack as a human, he had another thing coming.

"Who the hell are you?" The agent demanded. He made good use of his ol' Delta Commando voice. The other man shifted a little, hand still resting on the weapon hidden under his jacket. He laughed.

"That will come with due time, Agent Dalton. For now though, I suggest you get comfy." The man said calmly. Jack's ears pricked when he heard the faintest of footsteps from behind him. He never got the chance to react however when a sudden pain exploded from the back of his head. How had he not sensed the man before hand? Jack crumpled to the ground a moment later. His last thought being of his family. Especially Mac.

 _ **(~_~)**_

"Nothing?" Bozer asked his roomie. He sat down with him at the couch, offering Mac his steamy mug. The blonde denied it, shaking his head. Eyes far away as his hands fiddled with his cell phone. Ready to pounce like a panther at the first ding. Bozer shook his head sadly as he set it on the table in front of them.

"C'mon, Mac. Don't beat yourself up about this. Maybe he just feels like you two need to take a break from each other." Bozer hesitated. "In all honesty, Mac, I feel like that may be the best option right now. Just from the way you two have been a little up and down lately with each other."

Mac turned to glare at him, but nothing else. He knew his best friend was right to a certain degree. His eyes went back to piercing the phone's screen. Willing it to _ring_. Willing it to do _something_ with Jack's name tagged to it. When Bozer had come home late last night from Riley's, he found the house a dark and deserted looking place. At first, he thought maybe his roomie had gone out somewhere with Jack. But he soon remembered he never received a text saying that's what happened. Beside from that, even if nobody was home, they always left a light on or two. Just so it gave the impression someone was there.

After Bozer had searched the house, he found his partner sitting alone on the edge of his bed in the dark. Staring out the window at something only he could see. At first, Mac did his typical thing of swallowing down his feelings. Muttering 'I'm fine. Don't worry.' a few times before the blonde finally cracked and told Bozer what had happened. The darker skinned man was shocked to hear Mac's intimidation towards Jack. Never _once_ in his crazy life would he ever think _Mac_ afraid of his partner. He always got the impression of the exact opposite. The older agent was a blessing in Mac's life, Bozer had thought. It didn't matter the circumstances. If Mac was crumpling, Jack was _always_ there to pick up the pieces and make his partner feel whole again. Always.

"Hell! Maybe he's just sleeping in today." Bozer's reasoning voice brought Mac back to the present. Mac sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face in frustration.

"It's almost _11:30_ , Boze. Since when does Jack sleep in this late?" It was true. Jack was never a morning person. Not if his life depended on it. But this was pushing that barrier by a lot. His partner may be a heavy sleeper, but he always made a personal 'goal' to be up before noon. And he stuck to that schedule pretty easily. Sometimes even popping over to join Mac on one his morning runs and then going out for doughnuts and coffee afterwards. His treat, as Jack would always put it. The blonde smiled fondly, feeling his eyes sting a little. Jack was one in a million.

Bozer nodded. "You're right. You wanna pop over there and see what's up?"

Mac would've jumped at the idea like a flea for a dog, but there was still that bit of hesitation and doubt lingering in the back of his mind. Would Jack even _want_ to see him? For all terms and purposes, Mac pretty much shoved Jack away full force last night. The message of _'Yeah, I am scared of you and I don't trust you like I used to because I'm afraid you'll go psycho on me,'_ was sent across loud and clear. _Too_ clear, if the hurt look on Jack's face was anything to go by. Mac swallowed thickly around the sudden lump in his throat. He fucked up big time. And he was gonna do whatever the hell it took to get their relationship back to what it used to be.

"Let's go." Mac said, a new determination lacing his voice.

 _ **(~_~)**_

"You're not going to like this, Mac." Matty said from her spot in front of the screen. Bozer sat on the couch to the right of him while Riley sat at the desk. Her laptop scanning and bringing up numerous notifications every five seconds. The trip to Jack's house had sent red flags flaring through Mac's mind. The man's car was gone and nothing seemed to have been touched since the morning before. At that point, Mac tried calling his partner numerous times only to hear Jack's voicemail play every time. That drew the line and Mac made the call to get the other's involved.

So now here he sat in the war room with the rest of the team. Listening to all the possible places his partner would've and could've gone in the past 48 hours. As well as giving every bit of information he could on what happened two nights ago. Was Jack acting strange? Did he seem on edge? Did he give you any sort of impression something was up? The questions were all answered the same: "No."

"This is weird. Why the hell would Jack suddenly up and leave without a trace?" Riley had said. Mac wished he had a dime for every time he asked himself that question since the night at the fire pit.

"Mac! Hey, you with us?" Mac jolted back to reality. Focusing in on Matty's small form at the front of the room. Everyone was staring at him like he just forgot what pi was. He shook his head.

"Sorry. I was just thinking. What did you say?" The young agent swallowed. It was surprising how much this whole ordeal was shaking him up.

"I was saying how we have reason to believe the latest terror group we just brought down could have something to do with Jack's disappearance. More precisely, Juan Fernando." Matty explained, all business one again. Mac's eyes narrowed.

"How so?"

"Apparently, the leader of the terror group was related to a certain Ryan Mendez." Riley piped in. "Ryan was Fernando's brother. Jack's team had been ordered to take out their drug ring a few years back when he was still with the CIA. It was a success. But it came at a heavy price with Mendez promising revenge obviously."

"But why come out now? What's the catch?" Bozer asked, arms crossed over his chest. "It doesn't make any sense. If Mendez wanted to wipe Jack out for what he did to his brother, why didn't he do it years ago when it actually happened?"

Mac was deep in thought. There was something he was missing. Something they were all missing. Bozer had a point. It would've made more sense for Mendez to extract his revenge back when it actually happened. Not wait years later. No. There had to be something in the making. Something to fill that gap enough to make Mendez wait. But what could it be? Unless...

"Matty, can Jack's mind be warped enough to be able to turn on his own?" Mac asked, a new urgency filling his person. Matty looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Mac sighed in frustration. It was times like these where he hated being the only genius in the team.

"I remember Jack telling me about something. Back when he first told me about what he was. He said something about how he could be brainwashed."

Riley nodded. "Yeah, it's true. On a normal human being, it would be a bit more difficult. But since he's a werewolf, it's a lot easier because it's his _wolf_ they're trying to convince. Not _Jack_ necessarily." The blonde nodded. Mac stood up a moment later and started to pace.

"We gotta find Jack. If they succeed..." The words died right on his tongue. He couldn't even imagine that honestly happening. What the fuck would they even do? Catch him and try to change him back? Or would he be so lost and feral that the only other option would be to...He shook his head. Images filling his mind that he couldn't handle right now. A painful premonition of loss began to linger in the air around him.

"I'm already on it." Riley said, a reassuring look in her honey eyes. "We'll find him, Mac. Don't worry."

He nodded again, heading for the door so he could be alone. Mac could only pray Riley was right. It wasn't long before Riley found a location and the teams were ready to move out at Matty's word. Mac smiled despite the situation. Time to go save Jack.

* * *

 **~ NOW ~**

Jack fought the creeping exhaustion. He needed to stay alert. There was no telling what the fuck this guy had planned for him. But he did know one thing for certain; whatever drugs this guy was pumping through his system often made the older agent lose control of himself. It was stronger than what he remembers from previous experiences. But, that could be a number of things.

Jack sighed. Trying to get comfy as much as his current situation would allow. He couldn't get Mendez's words out of his head. Did he have Mac already? Was he torturing the shit out of the poor kid? Was he...dead? Jack's jaw clenched taught, a muscle twitched. No, this is what Mendez wanted. He _wants_ Jack to crumble. Mendez _wants_ him to become confused and fall victim to the demons his captor let loose in Jack's head. The agent shook his head. He had to stay strong. It's what he's always been programmed to do in the face of the enemy. Even when the situation was looking grim, you never showed weakness because that only empowered the enemy.

A sudden white hot agony flared to life in his head. It caught the agent off guard and he screamed. The pain was gone as soon as it came. Leaving Jack slumped in the chair, panting. Sweat forming on his brow. His body began to tremble as adrenaline fought for power over the exhaustion that has suddenly made itself very well known to Jack. He closed his eyes, trying to grab a hold of something through the chaos. The distraction came in the form of the door to the room opening. Light poured in, hurting the agents' eyes. The heavy door was slammed shut again a minute later. Clattered footsteps became louder as Mendez walked towards him. Jack fought a grimace at the horrid smile the man wore once he was face-to-face with the agent.

"Time for a little test run, Jackie. I hope you do good for me." Mendez said, patting Jack's arm with the IV. Jack growled when Mendez pulled away. The man's smile never faded as he increased the flow of the IV. Jack fought hard not to show how much it bothered him. How he could practically feel the fluid flowing through his veins. The lack of control came back full force as the eternal seconds ticked by. Jack started to squirm as the feeling became unbearable. It was like someone was setting his arm a flame while setting a bomb off in his head. The agent pulled hard against his restraints, shock momentarily showed itself when they gave. Sending Jack to ground. He looked behind him. Jack growled. Mendez was gone.

A strangled cry ripped from his throat when the intense pounding began again. He bent over on his knees, holding his head in his hands as he opened his mouth in a silent scream. Was that...gunfire? Flash bangs? No, no. He was going insane now. It was just a fucking hallucination from the drugs. Nobody's here to rescue him. He doesn't deserve to be rescued. He's a drag on the team. A creep. Nobody likes a creep. Everyone always excludes the creep. Even family.

"-ack! Jack!" No way. No, that...that can't be. Mac?

Jack tried to call to his partner, but another pounding ache hit him like a punch in the gut. His wolf was agitated. Blood thirsty. It wanted out. _Nonono. Stay down. No! Don't...Can't...MAC!_ Jack's control finally broke. His wolf over took him like an injured deer. The wolf snarled savagely, fangs glistening in the dim lighting. Yes, that was definitely gunfire. The wolf growled when there was a heavy banging on the door. There was a scream of pain before the door opened to reveal the one person Jack had _prayed_ wouldn't be the first to walk through the door. Mac had smudges of dirt on his face, probably from creating the make shift bombs and things. His partner tried to give a small grin, but took a step back when he saw the IV line on the floor. The left over fluid pooling at the leg of the chair Jack had been in moments before.

"Jack? Hey, buddy. It's ok." The blonde said soothingly. The wolf pinned his ears back and snarled. Jack backed away, struggling to hold himself back with everything he had in him. Mac frowned. The blonde's heart dropped at the sight of his best friend. His own fear and worry beginning to seep through. "Jack?"

The wolf keened at the carefully asked question. His eyes snapped open, a raging fire behind them. Mac gasped, trying to scramble away. Jack slowly stepped out from the shadows. His golden brown eyes menacing. His snarl even more so. Mac didn't even have time to react before Jack was on him. The blonde managed to bring an arm up to defend his face and neck. Jack's fangs easily sank deep into Mac's flesh. The blonde screamed as blood poured freely. Instinct kicked in and Mac swung out a leg, catching the wolf by his hind quarters. Jack backed off with a loud yelp. The wolf opted to circle his prey instead. Mac's blood lining his lips. His teeth tinted a light pink. Mac shook with pain. His arm still bleeding badly. He didn't dare to move and find something to stop the immense bleeding. Right now, Mac just needed to focus on staying alive and snapping Jack out of the trance Mendez put him in.

"Jack, you have to listen to me, buddy. This isn't you. Snap out of it. Please, Jack." Mac pleaded, his mind scrambling to put meaningful words together. It was getting harder and harder to think clearly. He grimaced at the warm red pool starting to form. This is bad. Really, _really_ bad.

The wolf paused briefly. The terrifying snarl still there. Jack's eyes were clouded over with pure rage. Mac didn't have any warning before the massive wolf launched himself at him again. Mac's quick thinking saved him from having his throat ripped out, but it didn't stop the sharp claws from dragging through the soft skin on his arms. Mac cried out in pain. Somehow managing to shove the wolf off of him. Jack came back at him a second later. Too fast for Mac to catch him. Spittle flew from the wolf's mouth as strong jaws wrapped around his throat. Razor sharp teeth easily breaking the first layers of skin. A pained noise left the blonde as he was roughly shoved to the ground on his back. Mac gulped at the feeling of tiny blood trails running down his neck. Well shit.

"J-Jack...don't..." His voice died at the rumbling growl against his throat, the sharp teeth closing in just a hair more. Barely aware of the tears sliding down the corners of his eyes. _This wasn't Jack. This wasn't Jack_. The words kept repeating themselves over and over in his head. Mac closed his eyes. Hoping that he would be spared the brutally painful death that he knew was coming. There was no turning back now. His partner, beloved big brother/father figure, _his_ _Jack_ , was about to end him. Right here in this pitiful compound. Just like how Mendez wanted, if the dick was even alive still. The whimper that escaped him didn't surprise Mac in the slightest. He tensed, slowly, cautiously bringing his shaking hands up to gently grip the wolf's thick fur right at the junction of his chest and neck. His eyes still pinched closed.

Mac gasped at the sudden feeling of teeth pull away from his all too vulnerable throat. His eyes widened. A hand instinctively going to cover his throat, gently rubbing the spots of broken skin. He sat up, eyes automatically going to his partner, who was no longer a raging wolf, but the familiar mass of human Mac knew and loved.

"Jack?" Mac winced at how scratchy his voice sounded. He rubbed his throat a little more before stilling his hand. He glanced down at his arms. Blood was crusted and dried in rivulets along the scratch marks. The bite mark continued to ooze blood, though not as bad as before. He tried to blink away the unconscious feeling slowly creeping in.

"Mac...oh my god..." His partner looked away, a hand over his mouth. Eyes flooded with unshed tears. Mac tried to stand, but a sudden wave of nausea had him staying grounded. He saw Jack turn towards him out of instinct. The poor man looked so torn. Mac felt his heart clench tight at the sight.

"Jack, it's ok. It's alright. Don't blame yourself for this. It wasn't you." The blonde tried to reason with his partner. Jack shook his head the whole time, pacing. The man was visibly trembling. Often shooting Mac concerned and apologetic looks. Mac inhaled sharply when he shifted his bitten arm. The pain was too much for Mac to handle. He closed his eyes tightly against the intense onslaught of pain. "Jack."

The small whimper broke through Jack's self-pity barrier and he was on his knees in front of his partner in seconds. Jack hesitantly stretched a hand out towards him. Surprise filled him when Mac leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the older agent tightly. Burying his face in Jack's chest. Silent tears soaked through the agent's shirt in a matter of minutes. Jack returned the embrace. Holding him tightly while softly whispering words of comfort. Mac sniffled, closing his eyes as he reveled in the warmth and safety only Jack could give. Vaguely aware of his surroundings as he finally succumbed to the black oblivion. Jack still holding him protectively the whole time.

* * *

 _ **I know, I know. Probably a bad spot to end this, but it was starting to push my own personal max. as far as length and all that jazz. Since this is a series, I'm trying to keep them all the same length or at least somewhere around there. So, for those of you that may start hounding me about it, that's why. Also, let me know if you guys want more! I'm thinking of making a Part Three, but it's not a definite yet. Anyhooz, thx so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Peace.**_


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